FINAL DAY ON THE JOB; REDIGER RETIRES FROM JCPENNEY

Longtime JCPenney manager Harry Rediger retired from his job today. But that doesn't mean he won't be working.

The 38-year veteran of JCPenney Co., Inc., will be far from idle. Rediger still has plenty of unfinished business in the community.

Rediger is a member of the Cape Girardeau Public Schools Board of Education. He is chairman of the board at St. Francis Medical Center, chairman of the Cape Girardeau Area Industrial Recruitment Association, a member of the Cape Girardeau City Planning and Zoning Commission and is still involved in the Area Wide United Way Campaign.

"I'll keep busy," said Rediger this week. "But, maybe I'll have a few more hours to play golf, and travel."

The Redigers will remain in Cape Girardeau.

"This is our home," said Rediger. He and his wife, Fran, a retired school teacher, have raised four children here and are proud grandparents of five.

One of the children, Michelle Sullivan, is a senior merchandiser with the JCPenney company in South County. Another, Kathryn Sedlacek, is principal of a Catholic elementary school in St. Louis. Also in the St. Louis area is a son, Douglas Rediger, an orthodontist. Another daughter, Cynthia Propst, remains in Cape Girardeau and works with Mercantile Bank here.

Rediger joined JCPenney in June of 1959 at Lincoln, Neb., as a management trainee, and served in a number of management positions over the next decade and a half. He was serving as a first assistant manager in Dallas, Tex., when he was named to his first manager's job, at Cape Girardeau.

When Rediger came to Cape Girardeau in April of 1976, Penney's was located at 2103 William St.

Rediger guided the move from William St. to the store's current location as an anchor store at West Park Mall in 1981.

"We've been fortunate to remain in Cape Girardeau through the years," said Rediger. "It's unusual for a manager to remain in one store throughout his career."

Rediger turned down a couple of chances to transfer.

"They let me stay," he said. "Cape Girardeau is home, and it will continue to be home. I'll continue with my outside activities."

And, Rediger has already developed a new hobby.

"I do some stock trading on the Internet," he said.

Rediger admits he is ready to retire.

"I'm ready," he said. "But, when you get down to the end, it gets a little sentimental. You get involved so much with people in the store."

Rediger was guest of honor at a special party held at the store Thursday.

Rediger has long been involved in community services. He is a former recipient of the Rush H. Limbaugh Sr. Award, which is presented each year for recognitions of longtime achievement in helping the community.

Rediger has played a leadership role in a number of civic organizations such as the Cape Area United Way and Vision 2000. He has served as chairman of the chamber board, and chairman of the Finance Task Force of Project Partnership with the Cape Girardeau public schools.

He has also served as general fund chairman of the Area Wide United Way; chairman of the board of trustees for the County Mill Tax for Mental Health; and, chairman of the board for the University Foundation's Copper Dome Society and chairman

Rediger has been involved with United Way for about 30 years. He previously was involved with United Way efforts in Dallas, Kansas City and St. Joseph.

Rediger says he gets "great personal satisfaction" from volunteering his time with civic and charitable groups.